Staying the Healthiest you!

 

Losing 119 pounds has changed my world. I often get looked at like I am some superhero, but the truth is, I am just a woman who decided to change her lifestyle. That word “change” is scary right? I know it scared me, so when you feel your little heart get anxious about starting a weight loss journey, I totally feel your anxiety because I have had it and often still have it.    I get so many questions about weight loss that sometimes when I give them the answer, they look at me like, “Really Stef? That’s it?” Changing your lifestyle is simple. You can’t just dive into it head first. You need to dip one foot in and then the other and then before you know it, you will be swimming!    Most of you, well all of you, should be well aware that I have lost weight with Weight Watchers. Though I know most cannot afford such a program. I will share some of my tips to help you get one foot in at a time.     1. It’s not a diet. The word “diet” is scary. Diets don’t last. It’s a lifestyle change. Again, you can’t fully change all at once. It takes time, just like with anything in life.    2. Don’t deprive yourself! That is the biggest mistake most people make, thinking they have to give up the foods they love. You don’t. There are many ways to keep eating the foods you love by cooking them differently. Want fried chicken? Try baked or grilled without the skin! Sauté  your veggies to give them some flavor. Also PORTION CONTROL! Instead of eating three burgers, try one with a side of fruit.    3. FILL UP! On water, veggies and greens! These will make you full enough to not even want to think about touching a second burger!     4. Water is your best friend! Did you know that drinking water can help weight loss? The more water you drink, the more you go to the restroom, which then leads to more fat being lost. Also, 9 out of ten times you are hungry, it's because you are thirsty. Make sure you look at your pee as well. Sounds funny right, but you will tell by your pee color if you are dehydrated. I am all about TEAM CLEAR PEE!   5. GET MOVING! I can’t stress this enough. When I first started my weight loss journey at 264 pounds, I could only walk five minutes a day until I ran out of breathe. Every day I would try my hardest to push it to six minutes of walking and before I knew it, I was walking thirty minutes a day! NOW! I workout five days a week for an hour to two hours! I’m not saying you need to run right away but I encourage you to start walking 5 minutes a day. Soon you will be walking for an hour! Exercise helps with stress, mental illness, depression, physical pain and most of all YOUR HEART! Healthy heart, healthy life! I promise you that if you start will baby steps, you will get BIG changes!      For more tips on how to stay healthy head on over to Molina Healthcare of California (www.molinahealthcare.com) for amazing tips and articles about being the healthiest you!          **The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content. ***

Take The Neutrogena Face-off Challenge !

This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with NEUTROGENA and Latina Bloggers Connect.  

 

If you're like me, at the end of the day, sleeping in your makeup is NOT an option. Not only do I still feel dirty if I see my makeup not fully removed, but it really does make me feel like I need to find the perfect makeup remover towelette to get my face feeling clean, breathable and fresh. Plus, waking up to your pillows with makeup stains is not cute!

So when Latina Bloggers Connect and Neutrogena picked me (and other bloggers) to participate in the "Neutrogena Face-Off Challenge" , I thought: Challenge Accepted! Like most girls, searching for the right makeup remover towelette is a pain. We spend money for top quality and sometimes it fails to deliver. So we think, "Maybe the cheaper generic brands will work!" Then those fail to deliver!

I was really excited when I received the towelettes, not because I am just a  fan of Neutrogena, but the package said, "Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes remove 99.3% of all traces of dirt, oil, and makeup to reveal clean, fresh skin." That was like music to my ears!  Neutrogena is also recommended by dermatologists two times more than any other brand. Therefore, you know it's spot-on.

So did these babies work? Well I put it to the test! My makeup removal routine takes so much time and requires lots of scrubbing, which usually turns my skin red. They provided a white towel just to prove Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes CAN and WILL remove all your makeup and leave no trace of it on the towel.

So here is me with makeup.

This is what the towel looked like after removing the makeup.  Talk about dirty! But it only took a minute or two, which cut down my nightly face routine drastically!

After washing my face with Neutrogena's Oil-Free Acne Wash pink grapefruit foaming scrub (which I use EVERY morning and night) I patted my face dry with the towel. Look! NO MAKEUP!

This really did make even love Neutrogena more! Then again, it doesn't surprise me, Neutrogena provides superior cleansing and make-up removal products.

Check out Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes  Here and you can purchase them  nationwide at food, drug and mass merchandisers for  $8.99 for 25 towelettes with Vanity Case.  

     

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS: Help Spread the Word & Purple Purse with Allstate !

Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign by the Allstate Foundation in collaboration with Latina Blogger Connect. All thoughts are my own.   

  When I was approached for this campaign, I just knew I had to be a part of it. I am a Domestic Violence Survivor. Some you know my story and some of you don't. My story is like many other women. I was in a really bad relationship and often felt there was no way out.    Domestic violence happens more than 145 times each hour in the U.S. On average, three women die every day as a result. Domestic violence affects one in four women in their lifetime – that’s more women than breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer combined. But it’s still hard to talk about and only about half of Americans say they would know how to help a victim of domestic violence.    Domestic violence is an issue that impacts millions, but few talk about it. Purple Purse helps people carry on conversations and pass information about domestic violence and financial abuse by placing the power directly into people’s hands with a purple purse. Domestic violence affects one in four women in their lifetime – that’s more women than breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer combined. A majority of Americans agree that domestic violence is tough to talk about. More than one-third of Americans have never discussed the issue with family or friends and Purple Purse provides a conversation starter. Lacking financial knowledge and resources is the number one indicator of whether a domestic violence victim will stay, leave or return to an abusive relationship. For every purple purse passed through the end of October, The Allstate Foundation will donate $5 to YWCA. We’ll give up to $350,000 for programs aimed to help domestic violence survivors and stop the cycle of abuse.    Taking action against domestic violence is simple - Purple Purse: Pass It On. 1,300 purple purses filled with domestic violence information and facts will be distributed throughout the U.S. Each purse has a goal of being passed between family, friends, community leaders, celebrities, media, and Allstate employees and agents sparking important conversations and raising awareness. Visit PurplePurse.com to follow the purple purses on their journey around the country, track the YWCA’s progress toward their goal to earn $350,000 from The Allstate Foundation and get tips to help you start talking about domestic violence.     Don’t worry! If you don’t get your hands on one of the purple purses that are being passed around the country, you can still help by logging onto Facebook.com/PurplePurse and sharing a virtual purple purse.  

     Please take part in this awesome Domestic Violence Visit Facebook or PurplePurse.com for more information. I also urge, as a survivor, if you or anyone you know is going through domestic violence, please seek help at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.